Flush tank valve mechanism



April 17, 1956 M. F. GIBBONS FLUSH TANK VALVE MECHANISM Filed June 25, 1953 FLUSH TANK VALVE MECHANISM Michael F. Gibbons, Ehiladelplna, an.

Application .iune 25, 1953, Serial No. 364,100

3 Claims. :1. 4-56) The present invention relates to valve mechanism for the flush tanks of water closets and the like and more particularly to a novel intake valve mechanism for the tank.

In conventional flush tanks, the water intake valve often does not completely close when the water reaches the desired level in the tank. To correct this, it is necessary to disassemble the intake valve mechanism and replace the worn washer or defective mechanism. In addition, the valve normally is mounted at the upper end of a vertical pipe which projects above the water level in the flush tank, and when the tank is flushed, the refilling of the tank is accompanied by the annoying sound of running water.

With the foregoing in mind, a principal object of the present invention is to provide an intake valve mechanism for flush tanks which is located below the normal water level of the tank and which is simple and effective in operation and use.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a valve element for flush tanks which finds its proper seat and compensates for any slight misalignment or wear in the mechanism.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a novel valve for flush tanks which may be readily installed in existing tanks by a relatively unskilled artisan.

The invention also contemplates a flush tank mechanism having a reservoir for soap or other disinfectant which is stirred through the water in the tank by operation of the flushing mechanism. 7

A more specific object of the present invention is to provide a novel intake valve for flush tanks which comprises a resilient spherical valve element which is forced against a valve seat in the bottom of the flush tank when the water level in the tank reaches the desired level.

In addition, the invention contemplates an easilyinstalled mechanism wherein the float which determines the water level in the tank is adjustable to provide the proper depth of water inthe tank.

These and other objects of the invention and the various features and details of the construction and operation thereof are more fully set forth hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a thumb nail sketch of a flush tank with portions broken away to illustrate the general arrangement of a mechanism made in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view through the tank illustrating the construction and operation of the mechanism illustrated in Fig. 1;

Fig.3 is anenlarged detached perspective view of one element of the mechanism;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged detached perspective view of another element of the mechanism; and,

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view showing the operation of the valve member.

The illustrated embodiment of the present invention comprises a flush tank having standard inlet and outlet connections. The outlet is closed by the usual rubber float valve and the inlet is provided with a fitting adjacent the tank bottom having a valve seat which is adapted to be closed by a resilient spherical valve element. The valve element is forced into engagement with the valve seat by a verticcl tube which is guided for axial movement in a bracket secured to the fitting. The bracket, at its upper extremity, pivotally mounts an arm, one end of which carries the standard float cylinder, and the other end of which supports a foraminous reservoir for soap or other disinfectant. The arm is adapted to engage the upper end of the vertical tubular member so that when the float falls, as when the water leaves the tank, the tubular member is permitted to rise in order to free the spherical valve element from the valve seat and thereby permit entry of water into the tank. When the water fills the tank and causes the float to rise again, pivotal movement of the arm forces the tubular member down against the spherical valve element to cause the latter to seat firmly upon the valve seat and thereby positively shut off the flow of water into the tank. It is noted that when the arm is moved, the reservoir is stirred through the water to cause the water to flow through the reservoir and dissolve a portion of the soap or other disinfectant contained therein.

Referring now to the drawings, the tank 9 is provided with the usual inlet and outlet ports 10 and 11 respectively. The inlet port 10 is provided with a tubular fitting 12 which has a restricted valve seat 13 located centrally in its bore. The bore of the fitting at the upper and lower ends thereof is of a standard pipe diameter and gradually narrows towards the center and terminates in the valve seat 13. The gradually diminishing bore diameter adjacent the valve seat 13 efiectively prevents the valve seat from becoming clogged or choked up by foreign matter. The valve seat 13 is adapted to receive a spherical valve element 14 which seats nicely upon the upper surface of the valve seat to shut otf the flow of water therethrough.

The spherical valve element 14 is provided with means to insure its registry with the valve seat 13. To this end, the element 14 is provided with a pin or rod 15 which passes through the center of the valve element and extends outwardly a substantial distance above and below the valve element. The lower extension of the pin 15 passes downwardly through the valve seat, and the upper extension projects upwardly and is confined within an upstanding tubular member 16. The tubular member 16, as described more fully hereinafter, is adapted to move axially so as to permit the valve element 14 to rise clear of the valve seat 13 and thereby admit water to the tank. The diameter of the bore of the tubular mem- 16 is greater than the diameter of the pin 15 so that the valve is free to find a proper seat on the valve seat 13. To prevent damage to the valve element by the tubular element 16, a washer 17 is fitted loosely over the pin 15 between the lower extremity of the tubular member 16 and the valve element 14. In this manner, the tubular member engages against the washer 17 which in turn etiects movement of the valve element 14.

The tubular member 16 moves axially in vertical alignment with the valve seat 13. To this end, a U-shaped bracket 21 is provided, the lower leg of which is formed with a collar 22 that slides over the fitting 12 and is clamped thereon by a thumb screw 23. The upper arm 24 of the bracket 21 is provided with an aperture 25 for receiving and guiding the tubular member 16. When the bracket is clamped to the fitting 12, the aperture 25 is in vertical alignment with the valve seat 13, so that the tubular member 16 may move vertically and maintain registry with the valve seat.

In accordance with the invention, means responsive to the water level in the tank is provided to actuate the onthe. bracket 21. The arm 26,.at, one. end mounts.

standard float cylinder. 23; Thejcylindr isfsnpported.

on the. arm 26,by a holder element.29f'which encircles the .cylinder 28'. and is adjustably' secured'to' the armby.

a set screw 30, as clearly illustratediin Fig, 2. Thus,

when ,the water levelirises or falls, the arm 26, ispivotedj in, its journalsin the lugs 27, 2.7.,

Adjacent the opposite extremity of thev arm 26, an elongated-slot32 isprovided which isin verticallregis'try, with. the. aperture. 25 andlthe valvefse at;13j; The slot receives anupwardextension 33 of the; tubular member 16 so as toprovide. a further, lateral support, for. the, member 16;. As. seen in Big. the ektension33; is of smaller diameterthan the body portion of .the tubular member. 16fso asto form adjacentthe upper extremity of the. member 16, a shoulder .34whichbears againstrthle I under. surface of the arm 26. Inthe position illustratedinfFig. 2, therefore, the arrn26, bears down. upon the shoulder 34 of'the tubular member 16which in ,turn forces the valve element 14 into engagement with the valve seat 13. When the water level drops, the float,28-falls, causing. counterclockwise pivotalmovementof the arm 26which frees the member ldfor, vertical moyementwithinthe aperture of the tubular member releasesthe valve. member. 14

from, the valve seat and, permits an. influx. or water through the fitting 12.

In accordance with the invention, meansis provided.

piecesof soap or another disinfectant material are placed withinthereservoir 35, andiwhen the,arm,26,is. actuated, the reservoir will be stirred through the water in.

ofthe. bracket 21. The vertical movement the tank so, as to partially dissolve the cakes in the' reservoir. it is notedtthat.thereservoir, 35 is generally conical in form and terminates .atits apexin a restricted;

opening 36. Thus, when the cakes of soap'ordisinfectant are substantially used up, the small portions. remaining pass out of the reservoir into the. body otlthe t ank 9 through the opening 36.

The outletll of the tankis fitted which is pivotally secured. to the. bracket 21. by means.

ofoneof a plurality of apertures, 42 in, the verticalarm.

thereof, By providing a plurality v of, apertures 42,,it, is possible to adapt. the bracket 2'1 to avariety oftanks, the proper. one of the apertures. '42.. being. chosen in.jac-. cordance'with the height of theseat for the, yak/e540...

Thestandardtrip mechanism .for, releasing the, float valve.

movement releases the engagement of -the, armfzfiwith,

the. shoulder. 3.4 of the tubular member 1Q andfallows the valve: element 14 torisezfromfit'si seat 13 ,,pemiittiug water. to, enter, the tank. throughthe fitting ,12. Whenthe tank is substantially empty, the floatvalvej40' findsits.

seat, and shutsv oflthe escape. of, water. frdui;- theftank. The incoming water raises the float 2.8, effecting clock:

wise pivotal movement of, the arm.-26,. The. arnrengages against the shoulder; 34- and. force thetubular'meniber 16, down against the washer 17. to thereby fotcethevalve element. 14 against its seat 13. ThepivotaLrnovementoff the; an. stirs. the. reservoir, through, thewaterfand partially dissolves the soap or. other; disinfectanhtherein,

When the arm 26 is displaceddewnwardly, the spherip cal shapeof thevalve element. 14 insuresgthat itlfiuds with, a. standard. float valve 40. The valve; 40. is carried by, arod 41;

the; water, in

I the fitting 12 to deflect the'incoming water. This prevents the waterfrom spouting against the;v top of the. tank and leaking out between the tank and its cover.

The intake valve mechanism is readily installed or replaced in the tank. To install. the. device,..the. collar 22 of the bracket 21 is simply slipped over the fitting 12 and clamped by'the thumb screw 23. The valve element 14 is dropped in place in the fitting and the tubular member 16 is slipped over the pin 15. The float 25 and the float valve 49 are properly located on the arm 26 and bracket Zirespectively, and themechanisrnis ready for operation. The rcverse procedureiis. used for removing the device-tor 'replacementormepaii. of its parts.

it should be noted that although the valve islocated below the water level in the. tank, when the pressure. in the intake line. drops below asafe value,.there-.isno: danger. of the water from the tank flowingback intoithe. intake line when the float. drops. movement of the float doesnot, of. itself, raise thefball valve but rather the pressurein the intake line .efiects. opening of the valve. In this manner, there isno possibilityv of the. water in the tank, flowing{back into.the. intake line when there is a failure of pressurei the line, such for example, as when thereis abreakin the line, or. when the pressureis shut ed for makingrepairs,

While aparticular embodiment of, theinvention has been illustrated. and described herein, itis not,intended to limit the invention to such disclosure, and.changes,and. modifications may be made. therein. andtheretofwithinthe scope ofithe following claims Y I claim: 1. For a flush tank having liquid inlet and outletports a valve mechanismtor said inlet port comprisinga fitting. havinga central bore inliquid.communicationwith saidport, means defining arestricted valve seat insaid.

bore,.a resilient. spherical valveelement loosely. confined in saidbore and operable toengage uponsaidvalveseat.

to close saidliquid inlet port, said valveelementhaving,

a pin projecting radially outward therefrom, a. hQHP tubeaxially against said valve element to thereby. forciblytq engage.v the valveelement upon the seat, afloat valve:

pivotally mounted on said bracketand cooperablewith saidoutlet port to close thesarne, and. meansgoperahle to displacelsaidfloat valve/and afiord. discharge ofithe.

liquid, from; the. tank to. cause pivotal; displacement. or. said'float and said arm, said pivotal displacementre leasing. the engagement of .said. valve element. upon said seat to permit entry of liquid through. saidlinlet fiort.

2. For a flush tankhaving. a liquid inletports and a floatresponsive to the liquid level-in the tank, a-valve mechanism for said port comprising a. fitting havinga, centraLbore inliqtud communication withsaidporh means defining a restrictedivalveiseabin said bore arresilierit. spherical 1 valve. element loosely confined in said bore-land cooperable with said;valve"seat to close;said;- liquid. i1 e.t. port, a,pin projecting. radially. outward. from. said} valve element, ahollow, tube,- projecting out of: said here; in.

This, is becausethe.

axial alignment with said seat and loosely embracing said pin, said tube being operable to guide said element onto said valve seat, an arm operatively connected to the float and engaging said tube, operable when the float is at a predetermined level to urge said tube axially against said valve element to thereby forcibly engage the valve element upon the seat, and a foraminous reservoir mounted on said arm below the liquid level in said tank and adapted to contain solid disinfectant material, whereby upon movement of said float, the reservoir is displaced in said tank to partially dissolve the material contained in said reservoir.

3. For a flush tank having a liquid inlet port, a valve mechanism for said port comprising a fitting having a central bore in liquid communication with said port, means defining a restricted valve seat in said bore, a resilient generally spherical valve element loosely confined in said bore and operable to engage upon said valve seat to close said liquid inlet port, said element having a pin projecting radially outward therefrom and mounted for 20 axial movement in axial alignment with said seat, guide means embracing said pin to guide said element into engagement upon said valve seat, a bracket mounted on said fitting and supporting said guide means against lateral displacement, an arm pivoted to said bracket, a float responsive to the liquid level in the tank mounted at one end of said arm, means adjacent the other end of said arm operable when the float is at a predetermined level to urge said valve element toward said fitting and forcibly engage the same upon the seat, a float valve pivotally mounted on said bracket and cooperable With the outlet port of said flush tank to close the same, and means operable to displace said float valve and afiord discharge of the liquid from the tank to cause pivotal displacement of said float and said arm, said pivotal displacement releasing the engagement of said valve element upon said seat to permit entry of liquid through said inlet port.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 571,163 Mott, Jr. Nov. 10, 1896 645,206 Jones Mar. 13, 1900 1,012,029 Thompson Dec. 19, 1911 2,599,426 Barling June 3, 1952 

